Spend gold royalties on environmental repair – Tourism Association

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 December 2015, 21:00 by GxMedia

The Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) plans to lobby government to spend gold royalties on repairing the environment for the long-term benefit of the tourism sector.

THAG President, Christopher ‘Kit’ Nascimento announced his organisation’s intention at the Guyana Tourism Authority’s annual award ceremony held at the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC).

The association plans to engage the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MNRE), Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to spend some of the gold revenue on environmental repair.

“We could take the billions of dollars from the royalties and fees from mining paid to the GGMC to repair the damage that is done by mining when it is done with,” he said.

Nascimento expressed concern that in Guyana’s quest for gold, the country was in danger of threatening the preservation of resources that sustain Guyana’s tourism attraction.

The THAG President reiterated the need for all stakeholders to “join hands” in finding a workable solution to balance that extractive industry with the maintenance and preservation of the rainforest.

He noted that Guyana was increasingly becoming an attractive destination for bird watching, community and nature tourism and yachting. He, meanwhile, announced that a “very serious” investor would likely build a marina and a dockyard several miles south of Parika.